Abel to Yzerman

DET (30-15-1) are in PHX (21-9-7) tonight looking to win consecutive road games for the 1st time in six weeks. Road defense plagues DET, they have allowed 69 goals on the road - nearly double the 36 yielded at home.

Comments

Check this out, I found this while going into a panic data back up on my computer at work after it crashed into a blue screen.

One thing is for certain, the salary cap must have been a tremendous profit boost for most owners. Look at Hatcher’s numbers, and the amount of money being paid out to some players. Based on worth and contribution in this salary cap world they wouldn’t be paid nearly as much as this, 7 years ago.

Posted by
RWBill
from the Babcock school of cheese grabbing. on 01/19/12 at 11:52 AM ET

On the other hand, Hank Zetterberg $650,000 hahahahahahaha.

Posted by
RWBill
from the Babcock school of cheese grabbing. on 01/19/12 at 11:55 AM ET

Just kidding. Slow day on the Wings nets today, people must be forgetting that Coyotes games are ocassionally worth watching. I’ll be there tonight. Haven’t been since Game 4 wherein my GF and I blacked out and lost one another (it was our second “date,” if you call me bringing her to a game a date).

Looking for a little more maturity out of both of us, especially since the lesser drunk of the two gets to make the 40 minute drive back to East Mesa from Glendale after the game (well I say after the game…I mean after the post-game festivities). LGRW and DRW>>DUI

Posted by
Sullyosis
from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 01/19/12 at 01:12 PM ET

The Wings 30 victories lead the NHL, yet they find themselves 4th in the West, second in the Central.

Its ridiculous how strong the central is this year, and disgusting to think that a team that points wise could finish in the top 4 in the nhl and be seeded 5th in their conference come playoff time.

The central has 4 teams in the top 10 in the nhl right now. The Atlantic is the only other division with its 3rd place team in the top 15 in the nhl.

Posted by
jwad
on 01/19/12 at 01:26 PM ET

I enjoy the sarcasm and humor among The 19, like cainer’s, above.

The most tell tale sign of a player’s worth and on-ice effectiveness is Babcock’s rewarding or reduction of play time. He has him on the ice more than any other forward, a sure sign that he’s not contributing and having a bad year.

Zetterberg is playing so horribly that:

Leads all forwards in total time on ice for the season.

Leads all forwards in time on ice per game.

2nd team leader in assists.

4th team leader in points.

Team leader in shots on goal.

Played in all 46 games.

4th on the team in Game Winning Goals.

Is 2d among forwards in power play time on ice per game, behind Holmstrom by 6 seconds per game, AND just for all-around good measure Kills Penalties 60 seconds per game.

Thanks for the laugh, cainer, a good way to pass the day waiting for the game.

Posted by
RWBill
from the Babcock school of cheese grabbing. on 01/19/12 at 01:39 PM ET

(it was our second “date,” if you call me bringing her to a game a date).

Looking for a little more maturity out of both of us, especially since the lesser drunk of the two gets to make the 40 minute drive back to East Mesa from Glendale after the game (well I say after the game…I mean after the post-game festivities). LGRW and DRW>>DUI

Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 01/19/12 at 11:12 AM ET

That’s awesome, sullyosis. You may as well not put up any false pretenses when you start dating. If she’s eventually going to be horrified and run for cover she may as well see that up front. I certainly consider a hockey game a date.

Posted by
RWBill
from the Babcock school of cheese grabbing. on 01/19/12 at 01:48 PM ET

..... Unless the game is between the Coyotes and Avalanche, then that’s just court ordered community service.

Posted by
RWBill
from the Babcock school of cheese grabbing. on 01/19/12 at 01:51 PM ET

Anybody have suggestions for a good place to watch hockey in Central Missourri? I’m TDY here to Whiteman AFB/Warrensburg and the billeting interwebs are a bit s…l….o….w….. don’t think a feed will work tonight.

Posted by
42jeff
from The greater Howard City, MI metroplex on 01/19/12 at 02:44 PM ET

You may as well not put up any false pretenses when you start dating.

Yup, I took this artsy-fartsy gal on a first date to a see a “traveling improvisational theater group”, aka a professional wrestling match, to see if she had a sense of humor.

We will celebrate our 24th anniversary this year, and 19 of the best years of my life.
(I deducted years when her adult children lived with us, that’s how I roll.)

She tolerated me the rest of the playoffs last year and has performed admirably as my caretaker everytime I sh*t myself watching the Wings get outshot 10-0 to start the third period of a tie game.

Posted by
Sullyosis
from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 01/19/12 at 02:54 PM ET

Anybody have suggestions for a good place to watch hockey in Central Missourri?

No help here, I’m a solid 90 minutes Warrensburg. I’d think you can find a sports bar with Center ice…. don’t be surprised if ya get a funny look when you ask to have them put hockey on a teevee here though,

Posted by
MOWingsfan19
from I really like our team on 01/19/12 at 03:25 PM ET

The girl that made me sleep on the couch a few years back due to a game is now the wife and just ignores me when a hockey game comes on. I think it works rather well.

She does love going to live hockey games though.

Posted by
mrfluffy
from A wide spot on I-90 in Montana on 01/19/12 at 03:36 PM ET

However, the Coyotes have outscored their opponents 11-2 while winning their last two home games.

The good thing is, there will be as many, if not more, Wings fans in the building tonite.

Yeah, but he only has nine goals and as all Red Wings fans know, the only reason he’s around and being paid what he’s being paid is so that he can fill the net.

It’s not like he has any other worth than that, right?

He’s a terrible two-way player, a terrible leader, he’s useless on the PK…

Posted by Garth on 01/19/12 at 12:14 PM ET

Totally. I get beyond frustrated when people criticize Z for his play this year, as if scoring goals is the only contribution a guy makes. Plus, he’s playing center - I’m sure his goal production was higher when he was on Pav’s wing…

Thanks, Okie. Can’t watch the game tonight. Will catch up tomorrow.

LET’S GO RED WINGS !!!!!

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from the State where Tigers roam in the Spring on 01/19/12 at 06:07 PM ET

I step away for a day and come back to a whole boat-load of juicy trade talk and other fun stuff about awesome banners in rafters (i’ve given SJ Sharts fans no end of shit about this over the years), but the one thing i’d really like to join in on here is the perceived lack of production from one Henrik Zetterberg.

I’ve been critical of a great many things about a few things this season such as the maddeningly inept penalty killing, the less-than-consistent power play, the continued foibles of E52, the need for a gritty, skilled forward to solidify the team’s chances at #12 as well as the bad habit of laying an occasional egg at the worst possible time. But among the gross negatives one could call into account here, the play of Henrik Zetterberg is rather low on my list of concerns.

Malik and some of the other more keenly insightful among us theorized he may have been battling through some injury problems early on, but his game has been much better over the past twenty games or so, and my overall my take is this—the guy plays hard, plays smart, plays responsible and makes his linemates better. I really like Filppula a lot too (and think that any criticism sent his way is probably equally unfounded), but does anybody imagine his game hasn’t benefitted greatly from playing alongside Hank? Do I even need to mention how much more productive Hudler seems to be playing on that line?

We may have some legitimate concerns about what this team will or won’t need in order to truly compete come springtime, but in my book, #40 really isn’t one of them.

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